Color Spots

Three photos each with a different color for the focus.

Did you notice much difference?

Here are some other color spots in the garden for early June.

Some disappoints this year - several iris failed to bloom, one being the white one Vicki Lane sent me some years ago.  The shasta daisies have invaded that iris so I need to dig it up and separate out the iris from the daisy.  Not sure what happened with the others.  Another disappointment is the very few buds on very large peonies.  

Open to suggestions on both of these problems.

 

The Promise of Blooms to Come

 My garden beds are in that stage of offering lots of promises of blooms and growth to come.

I got out early today, Wednesday, 6:30 am, to beat the heat. I had lots of new plants to get into the ground as a result of the $13 I spent at the Garden Club Potluck and Silent Auction.  I took lettuce starts, dahlia tubers, and amaryllis for the auction.  I came home with pansies, forget me nots, three containers of lily of the valley, a hosta, and a stella d'oro day lily. What was nice was that the lily of the valley could be divided so I had 6 plants, and so could the hosta so I had two.  All of these except the day lily and pansies went into the new bed along our driveway.  Pictures will have to wait until after mulching happens and the plans show some growth.

Rock Garden

Once I got all that planting done I tackled the Rock Garden and then Maple Garden (its named because its between two maple trees).  Weeding had to be done.  In the Rock Garden I was surprised how the grass grew right through a weed barrier fabric that the landscaper who mulched for me in 2025 put down.  I decided to let one weed grow.  Must be the little blue flowers that persuaded me.  Some people call it creeping charley.

Maple Garden

The Maple Garden is the original garden that was here.  I've tamed it and reduced its size.  Once upon a time there was a huge fence dividing it lengthwise.  Fence long gone.  It has these lovely Star of Bethlehem blooming. Nice to have them spread even more this year.

I still have lots of weeding to do.  I did what I could today.  Stamina is not what it was when we lived in Maryland at The Lodge.  Look back at spring and summer posts before 2016 to see those gardens.

But here's what is promising:

Hosta unfurling.

False Indigo too.

This was in the yard when we moved here.  When it first starting showing in the spring I thought it was asparagus. 

Columbine has buds that will open soon.

Iris too have swelling buds.

Bleeding heart in two locations, Rock Garden and Deck Garden have opened first flowers.

Chives too promise lots of flowers.

And look how large this lupine bud is!

The last daffodil variety is just now flowering.

And look what I found next to the trash can!  It seeded itself.

Grass is really green and needs another cutting before the weekend.

Now I need a nap!

What Spring Looks Like Here

I took a tour around the yard after I finished mowing on Friday afternoon.  Of course in loading these to this post, blogger has put them in the reverse order that I took them.

So here's a forget me not along the driveway.  I got this from a neighbor a couple of years ago.  It has not spread like I want it to along the driveway.

Here's a look at the driveway edge that I'm working on reclaiming.  Our property line is along those standing stones, but I figure my neighbor won't mind my improvements edging into her property.  Those are her hemlock trees and 6 of them were taken down last fall.  You'll see other stumps  in the following photos.

Another look at the driveway edge closer to the barn.  We got our 2 cords of wood on Tuesday which Dan promptly stacked in the barn.  Usually we save the scraps for kindling but we had so much so I had him put some along the edge.

Here's where I have reclaimed the edge by planting an assortment of things from my garden beds: lily, Siberian iris, spider wort, violets, etc.  I still need to mulch this bed and then work to reclaim the upper part where the forget me not is.

Our trees are leafing out now.

Here's our backyard view of the hills behind us.  The pale green are the birches.

In the hosta bed this blue flower is taking center stage.  Help, I don't remember what it's called. Are they bluebells?

Here is the same plant from afar with other plants showing themselves.

Still have some daffodils just now blooming.

The myrtle is another one of the blue flowers this spring.

The sculpture bed needs a good weeding.

But here's what's blooming in this bed.  Another no name in my memory.  A gift last Mother's Day and quite the spreader.

It's tiny flowers are lovely close up.

Tom, the buglos (is that the right name?) you sent me are up and blooming. Here's #1.

#2

#3 with more blue flowers.

Last year I think the leaves were a lot bigger but maybe this is their spring size.

Another blue flowering plant.  I should know the name because someone remarked about it just on Monday.  But the name is gone for now. Another sort of wort?

In the front bed I love the color of this hosta.

I still can't explain why there is one pink tulip with 2 red/orange ones.  I thought I was planting all the same color.

Finally our house.  In honor of Memorial Day I set out my patriotic shutter.

And here's some good news for our drought conditions.  We had 2 inches of steady rain yesterday.  Much needed that I hope will offset our deficit.

Thanks for coming with me on my walk about.  Many blooms yet to come: iris, lupine, bleeding heart, day lilies, lilies, and much more. And pots of annuals to plant after the threat of frost is over.  I'll tackle those in June.